Down Under with Jan Mikaela Nora and Ella

How cool is that? The man himself making his come-back in the streets of Adelaide? In fact, only yesterday he went racing by around the corner not just once, but twenty times! It’s Lance Armstrong we’re talking here, seven times winner of the Tour de France, and living cycling legend. He chose the Tour Down Under to launch his re-entry in the professional peloton this year. Just like the weather, Jan was all overheated this week. Every move of the man was followed fanatically. We managed to spot him on three different occasions throughout the week, but getting anywhere near was just no option. First of all there was an enormous crowd everywhere he went, and then there was his security to deal with. The closest we got to him was at the team presentation: see for yourself our camcorder shots . So how did it go for the great Lance? Well, hmmm, he still has some training to do. It was very hot and windy though, plus all the publicity took its toll as well. But as a real fan Jan still beli...

It’s green, it’s beautiful, it’s laid back, it’s mountainous, it’s far away but still feels familiar, it’s big but still feels small, it’s full of wildlife, especially at dusk and dawn, it’s discovered by the Dutch but nobody seems to bother, it’s a bit cold sometimes but always heartwarming, it’s spectacular, it’s lovely, it’s a great holiday destination, it is Tasmania …… or simply Tassie. We loved it, as we loved our trip with Oeds and Marije through South Australia across Victoria’s Great Ocean Road on our way to Tassie. See for yourself on our photo’s . Guys, it has been great to have you around here for Christmas and New Year. And for sure this wasn’t the last time saw you Down Under, right? See you next time mates !!!

Look at this active couple: Jan’s brother Oeds and his wife Marije are exploring Australia during this Christmas season. And what a program they have! From the tropical rainforest in Cairns, scuba diving with giant turtles and sharks on the Great Barrier Reef, to the crocodiles at the Daintree forest near Port Douglas. Then leaving Queensland to visit us in South Australia, where so far six koalas and seven dolphins have been spotted. Today the hunt for kangaroos is on (also very nice on the BBQ), before they throw themselves into the local New Year’s Eve festivities. Then the four of us will go on a road trip along the Great Ocean road to Victoria for some spectacular coastal views, to end up in the green and mountainous Tasmania. By that time they probably need a holiday to recover from all events! While crossing half of this continent in just a few weeks Marije and Oeds even found time to bring us lots and lots of Christmas presents. Especially the Fryslân promotion gear for the ba...

It was a long way from home, but Sinterklaas made it to Australia this year. As all Dutch kids know St Nicolas celebrates his birthday on the 5th of December with lots of candy and presents. If you ever wondered what he was doing the day after, now you know: he’s visiting the Dutch kids overseas. The local Adelaide kids gathered in Kensington park to welcome the good old man before he returns home to Spain. Funny enough this time he arrived by bike, rather than by boat. As always it was a great celebration for all parents and kids (see pictures and video ), and Sinterklaas promised that he would definitely return next year. Such a shame that Jan missed it all. He arrived just after Sinterklaas had left ;-)

The great thing about having visitors from overseas is that we get to be tourist ourselves. Thanks to the sisters Susan and Annika from Sweden we have been touring around, finding more and more new places close to home that we hardly knew existed. South Australia is a big place, and there is plenty to explore. And on top of that they provided us with an excuse to go on a long weekend to Sydney. Although Jan had been there many times for work, this was the first time that we actually got to see the city. And let us assure you this: it is just awesome. The Sydney Harbor is one of the most spectacular views you will ever see, with the world famous Harbour Bridge and Opera House. See for yourselves on our pictures . Another advantage of having Swedish girls around is of course that they could take good care of us. Mikaela’s pregnancy is into the sixth month now. She’s going great, but things are getting gradually heavier. And since after his operation Jan hasn’t been of much use, the girl...

Becoming a parent changes everything. You want to be well prepared, and get as many things done before the baby is born. One of the things Jan had been postponing for a long time was to get his left shoulder fixed. It had been painful for almost a year, especially after lifting things and driving the old Toyota (which was a manual). Neither physiotherapy nor chiropractor helped much. An ultrasound showed that there was really just one option left: a shoulder arthroscopy operation. Definitely not his favorite thing, but you want to be able to lift the baby, right? The ‘op’ took place last Tuesday in the North Eastern community hospital. According to the surgeon it all went fine. Recovery will take a while though. Need to train up the arm again from zero: every movement feels like new. Meanwhile Jan will be walking around with a sling, like a one armed bandit. The pain may be bugging him at times, but according to him the upside is that he is free from cooking and any household task for...

Today's the big day: Mikaela is turning thirty !!! A milestone to celebrate, don't you think? Thirty years young and literally full of life. What more could we wish for?!? So why don't you all join us and sing along: Ja, må hon leva, Ja, må hon leva, Ja, må hon leva uti hundrade år. Ja, visst ska hon leva, Ja, visst ska hon leva, Ja, visst ska hon leva uti hundrade år. "Ett fyraldigt leve... leve hon. HURRAH, HURRAH, HURRAH, HURRAH ." And for those of you who are burning of enthusiasm, don't hold back ... Presents are always welcome ;-)